Annotation of magazine number 6, June 2014

13:37 08.07.2014

Diplomacy

V. Chizhov. Russia and the EU: Twenty Years After

A Partnership and Cooperation Agreement between Russia and the EU was signed twenty years ago, on June 24, 1994 on the Greek island of Corfu (Kérkyra). The breakthrough deal created a stable legal framework and a solid basis for the development of the Russia – EU dialog in a variety of spheres.

K. Kosachev. Russia and the Assistance in International Development

Assisting in international development, officially helping in the process of development, contributing to the progress in developing countries are tightly interwoven objectives. As of today, they are widely recognized in Russia and actively discussed within its expert community, but not yet thoroughly understood by the citizens of the country

V. Bogomazov. Pope Francis: The First Years as Head of the Vatican

According to Western media, the Pope's April, 2014 conversation with Ukrainian premier A. Yatsenyuk took 18 minutes, its highlight being an exchange of meaningful presents: Yatsenyuk gave Pope Francis a picture of Maidan Square, and the Pope presented him with a pen “for the signing of peace accords”

Moscow Diplomatic Corps

Eoin O'Leary. Ireland, a Historical Country and a Young Nation

Our foreign policies stem from the position of an open, export-oriented democratic country. Membership in and active involvement with such organizations as the UN, the EU, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, and the Council of Europe enable the country to safeguard its interests internationally while being absolutely responsible about its obligations concerning support for peace worldwide and never compromising its own neutrality

A. Oganesyan. From the Diary of Editor-in-Chief

The recent months have been saturated with vigorous political dynamics, records in the diary being a kind of an objective account of the events we witness

Ukrainian Vector

A. Orlov. Crisis in Ukraine: a Strategic Mistake Made by the West or an Inescapable Development?

Anyone who still remains unsure that the Maidan Square protests in Kyiv were carefully planned and arranged by the West must be extremely naïve or totally unwilling to take off the rose-colored glasses and get a glimpse of the real picture

Dr. Srecko Jučić. Collapse of Project Ukraine

Finally, what happened in Ukraine last winter and spring? The new political crisis in the country was provoked by Ukraine's notorious policy of blackmail which all of the Ukrainian regimes - “pro-Russian” and pro-Western alike - have been pursuing since the country jumped to independence. A Russian proverb describes this type of conduct as “trying to sit on two chairs”

Tendencies

P. Zaval'ny. Russia and the EU are Oriented Towards Dialog and Strategic Cooperation

Facing the current crisis, Europe had to rethink the issue of its energy supply and realize that it would not tackle the problem without Russia. Under any potential scenario, Europe needs natural gas from Russia as our country supplies 30% of Europe's gas import. At the moment, Europe produces around 260 bcm of natural gas, the demand being over 500 bcm. In other words, Europe can cover only one half of its gas consumption independently.

A. Varfolomeev. On the Political and Legal Technologies of Countering International Terrorism

Despite the international community's serious efforts, new challenges dominate the world security agendas, the key threat from non-state actors and the main concern for countries and competent agencies being terrorism.

V. Zanina. The Bosphorus Seems to be Out of the Kremlin's Sight

Turkish premier Recep Tayyip Erdoğantold declared to a Turkish audience of thousands of people that navigation in the Bosphorus would be suspended, and further suggested The Bosphorus-2, a grand infrastructure project, as an alternative

The World Around

E. Solov'ev. Sovereignty in the Framework of the Polycentric World Order: Back to the Basics

The past three decades have seen a profound transformation of the system of international relations. The classic bipolarity has become an artifact of the past, and what we find in its place are paradoxes of globalization and reshaped world politics

E. Vinogradova. Role of Strategic Communications in International Relations

The progress in communications technology which prompted deep changes in governance and education principles similarly caused a revolution in international military affairs. From this perspective, a key challenge confronting countries and their defense agencies is to fully utilize the information resources affecting human behavior in order to control various types of conflicts

V. Anisimova. French Experience in Migration Control and Russia's Realities

In most European cultures, the concept of diversity is being replaced with the tendency of “strict” integration of migrants based on the compromise that their rights are observed to the extent to which it is possible without the national interests and cultural traditions of European countries being adversely affected. The case of France fully exemplifies the trend

S. Sharko. Geostrategic Interests of South Korea and the Future of the Korean Peninsula

The government of South Korea led by the country's new president Park Geun-hye subjects to a critical analysis the practice of ensuring key national interests in the geopolitical and geoeconomic space of the Korean Peninsula. With the new system of global governance rising, South Korea, along with other countries, faces ever greater responsibility for the developments in East Asia and beyond

Books and Reviews

E. Pyadysheva. “Another Rus' ” on the Pages of the Historical Review

D. Klimov. The Cossacks: Excerpts from History

I. Kovalev. Contemporary Great Britain: the Country of Traditions Modernizing

V. Zhuravlev. Picturing the Democratic Republic of the Congo

IN MEMORIAM

B.Pyadyshev. Remembering a Friend – Victor Sukhodrev

In the Young Diplomats Council

I. Kravchenko, K. Kolpakov. On the First Forum of Young Diplomats of the CIS Countries, Abkhazia, and South Ossetia